# Graded English reader for The Old Man and the Sea: Dangye English - By Mulgyeol (https://superchart.com/en/@bookmark-nearby/) - Written Dec 7, 2025 - Products › Books & stationery - Product provided: I received this product and wrote this post after reading it. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@bookmark-nearby/graded-english-old-man-sea/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@bookmark-nearby/graded-english-old-man-sea/index.md) ## In short Dangye English The Old Man and the Sea Level 1–3 is a graded English reader from Korea that adapts Hemingway’s classic across five levels. I compared its vocabulary, sentence structures, slim portable format, and illustrated word pages. A good way to work back up to the English original gradually. ## Good to know - **Format**: Published as two volumes: Levels 1–3 and Levels 4–5 - **Level 1**: Written with the easiest vocabulary and sentence structures - **Level 5**: The original English text *Prices as written by the tester on Dec 7, 2025 · not updated automatically* ## Dangye English The Old Man and the Sea Levels 1–3 ![Dangye English The Old Man and the Sea Levels 1–3 book set](https://img.superchart.com/images/graded-english-old-man-sea/graded-english-old-man-sea-01-hdrw4-1200.webp) ![Dangye English The Old Man and the Sea English classic literature book](https://img.superchart.com/images/graded-english-old-man-sea/graded-english-old-man-sea-02-143hg-900.webp) ![The Old Man and the Sea Dangye English level book](https://img.superchart.com/images/graded-english-old-man-sea/graded-english-old-man-sea-03-mzuas-900.webp) Dangye English is a series designed to help readers acquire English through classic literature originally written in English. I had studied English by reading The Little Prince through Dangye English before, and this time I got to read Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. The Old Man and the Sea is published in two volumes: Dangye English Levels 1–3 and Levels 4–5. I think they divided it up because putting Levels 1 through 5 into one book would have made it far too bulky. Publishing them as slim books like this makes them easy to slip into a bag and carry around to read. If, like me, you commute by public transit rather than by car, it is nice to read on the subway and the like, so I prefer the books divided up rather than one very thick volume. ![Dangye English books divided into portable volumes](https://img.superchart.com/images/graded-english-old-man-sea/graded-english-old-man-sea-04-1isb5-675.webp) ![Dangye English The Old Man and the Sea for reading on public transit](https://img.superchart.com/images/graded-english-old-man-sea/graded-english-old-man-sea-05-qui5z-675.webp) ![The Old Man and the Sea Levels 1–3 book set](https://img.superchart.com/images/graded-english-old-man-sea/graded-english-old-man-sea-06-18rip-675.webp) Dangye English The Old Man and the Sea Levels 1–3 shows an illustration of the old man fighting a marlin, along with an explanation of the criteria used to divide the levels. Level 1 uses the easiest vocabulary and sentences. Level 2 adds details described in the original text. Level 3 uses more specific words, while Level 4 is close to the original but makes the sentence structure easier. Level 5 is the original English text. ## Features of The Old Man and the Sea Levels 1–3 ![Dangye English The Old Man and the Sea level guide](https://img.superchart.com/images/graded-english-old-man-sea/graded-english-old-man-sea-07-76ujj-675.webp) ![Dangye English classic literature series lineup](https://img.superchart.com/images/graded-english-old-man-sea/graded-english-old-man-sea-08-18i35-675.webp) ![Features of The Old Man and the Sea graded English books](https://img.superchart.com/images/graded-english-old-man-sea/graded-english-old-man-sea-09-1r86j-675.webp) The book I read this time was The Old Man and the Sea, but Dangye English has also published The Little Prince, The Happy Prince, and Sleeping Beauty. They made a real effort to write The Old Man and the Sea as simply as possible at Level 1, but because the original author is Ernest Hemingway, the content may still feel difficult for younger readers or those who are not used to English. The book also advises readers who find The Old Man and the Sea Level 1 too difficult to read The Little Prince, The Happy Prince, and Sleeping Beauty first. Even when preserving the content of the English original, changing sentence structures into short sentences, and using easier words for the same expressions, Ernest Hemingway’s work is bound to be difficult for some people. ## Why the illustrated word pages helped with reading the original ![The Old Man and the Sea illustrated word page](https://img.superchart.com/images/graded-english-old-man-sea/graded-english-old-man-sea-10-nwoxv-900.webp) One strength of the Dangye English series is that it explains English vocabulary with pictures. Names for specific objects, such as harpoons used for marlin fishing, and names of sea animals are not words used often in daily life, so they can only become a stumbling block when reading the original. The illustrated word pages introduce the names of particular animals and objects beforehand, which helped when reading the book. ## Study English at the level that suits you ![Comparison of the first pages of Levels 1 and 3](https://img.superchart.com/images/graded-english-old-man-sea/graded-english-old-man-sea-11-1xxho-900.webp) ![Page comparing English sentence structures by level](https://img.superchart.com/images/graded-english-old-man-sea/graded-english-old-man-sea-12-10bum-900.webp) When comparing the first pages of Levels 1–3, which contain the same content, you can see that Level 1, the easiest stage, uses basic, foundational vocabulary. It reduces abstract expressions such as “sad” and “thin” as much as possible, choosing specific, easy words instead, and uses short, simple sentences without conjunctions. Because the sentences break off line by line, the meaning is easy to grasp, and you can see that unnecessary descriptions have been omitted. By comparison, Level 2 uses a wider variety of words and expands the scope of the descriptions. On top of that, compound sentences that were hard to find in Level 1 begin to appear, making the sentences longer and their structure more natural. Since the sentences do not break off, the flow of events and descriptions becomes smoother. Level 3 has the richest vocabulary, and the story proceeds while preserving the original’s expressions as much as possible. There are more complex and compound sentences, and the descriptions move closer to the original, so I could learn many literary expressions and get a more natural feel for Ernest Hemingway’s writing. If you have read Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea in Korean, it might be nice to use Dangye English to experience the original’s vividness once more in English. Wouldn’t it be even better to start at Level 1 and read through Level 5, improving your English while also reading the original? ## Products - Dangye English The Old Man and the Sea Levels 1–3 — Dangye English --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@bookmark-nearby/graded-english-old-man-sea/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt